Destination Weddings

Been There, Done That: Four Real Destination Weddings

Four couples who hosted breathtaking soirees across the globe share the ins and outs of organizing a destination wedding. And they've convinced us: Planning this type of wedding doesn't need to be a headache.

With friends and family scattered across the globe, Sunny and Tim knew a destination wedding was the best option for them. "I wanted to go back to the country where I grew up," says the bride. "I'm Mexican, and my husband is French, so a destination wedding was a good way to unite our families."

Getting married abroad was a natural choice for Sharon and Jeff. The couple, who are both avid travelers, wanted to share this passion with their wedding guests. While looking for a location, they kept two things in mind: proximity and affordability, eventually narrowing it down to Jamaica.

After an exhaustive search of venues in their hometown of San Francisco, Maria and Kalon decided to look beyond U.S. borders. "We started with the world map," says Maria. "Some destinations were too far, others were too stuffy, and others were a bit too out of our comfort zone." The couple settled on Italy—a place they had both visited, and loved.

When it came to selecting a location for their December wedding, Melissa and Jonathan let sentiment guide them to the One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas. "It's a special place for us," Melissa explains. "We took one of our first vacations there and it's where we got engaged."